A modern human pattern of dental development in Lower Pleistocene hominidsfrom Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain)

The study of life history evolution in hominids is crucial for the discernm ent of when and why humans have acquired our unique maturational pattern. B ecause the development of dentition is critically integrated into the life cycle in mammals, the determination of the time and pattern of dental devel opment represents an appropriate method to infer changes in life history va riables that occurred during hominid evolution, Here we present evidence de rived from Lower Pleistocene human fossil remains recovered from the TD6 le vel (Aurora stratum) of the Gran Dolina site in the Sierra de Atapuerca, no rthern Spain. These hominids present a pattern of development similar to th at of Homo sapiens, although some aspects (e.g., delayed M3 calcification) are not as derived as that of European populations and people of European o rigin. This evidence, taken together with the present knowledge of cranial capacity of these and other late Early Pleistocene hominids, supports the v iew that as early as 0.8 Ma at least one Homo species shared with modern hu mans a prolonged pattern of maturation.